Russia prosecutor confirms new Khodorkovsky charges pending News
Russia prosecutor confirms new Khodorkovsky charges pending

[JURIST] Russian Prosecutor-General Yuri Chaika confirmed Tuesday that his office is preparing new money laundering and embezzlement charges [MBK press release] against former Yukos CEO Mikhail Khodorkovsky [advocacy website; JURIST news archive]. Lawyers for Khodorkovsky first said they expected new charges [JURIST report] last month, but Chaika's comments Tuesday are the first official confirmation of the new investigation. Reuters has more.

Khodorkovsky was convicted in May 2005 of tax evasion [JURIST report], and the Russian government effectively nationalized Yukos to pay off $33 billion in back taxes. Khodorkovsky's lawyers have insisted that legal actions against their client have been politically motivated.

THIS DAY @ LAW

Indian National Congress founded

The Indian National Congress (INC) was founded on December 28, 1885 in Bombay (now Mumbai), India. In subsequent decades, the so-called Congress Party would advocate for Indian independence from the UK, which was eventually achieved in 1947. The first Prime Minister of independent India, Jawaharlal Nehru, was elected as a member of the INC. Learn more about the history and founding of the Indian National Congress.

Congress recognized Pledge of Allegiance

On December 28, 1945, Congress officially recognized the Pledge of Allegiance and encouraged its recitation in schools. The Pledge was supposedly written in 1892 by Francis Bellamy, a Baptist minister, to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Columbus Day. The words “under God” were added by Congress in 1954. The revised version of the Pledge was the subject of litigation before the United States Supreme Court originally brought by Michael Newdow, a parent who unsuccessfully objected to his daughter's school district policy requiring daily recitation of the Pledge. The court ruled that Newdow had no standing.

Nepal ends monarchy, establishes republic

On December 28, 2007, the Kingdom of Nepal's interim parliament ended the country's monarchy and established the Republic of Nepal. Free elections were held on April 10 of the following year to elect a Constituent Assembly.

Learn more about the rise of democracy in Nepal.